Tray-washer.



R. A. NESIVIITH.

TRAY WASHER. APPLICATION FILED Nov. I3. I9I6.

LQQQM. Fatemi June I2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET @f BgA. NESIVHTH. TRAY WASHER.

APPLICATION HLED NOV- |3| i916. 'Lg Patented June 12, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEEI 2- RALPH A. NESMITI-I, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM I-IUGrI-I SIBBALD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TRAY-WASHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 12, 1917.

Application led November 1S, 1916. Serial No. 130,937.

.7 10 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RALPH A. NnsMrrH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tray-Washers, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to devices for vwashing utensils and the like; and relates particularly to devices for cleansing such articles as trays. Heretofore it has been an operation involving some considerable labor to cleanse the trays used in large cafs, dining-rooms, and the like; and it is a particular and specific object of this invention to provide a device by the use of which said trays may be thoroughly, quickly, and readily cleansed. The accomplishment of this object enables me to make a great saving, not only in labor, but a doing away in the use and laundrying of towels.

The nature of my invention will be understood from the following detailed description of a preferred form of tray washer, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, showing such form. In these drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my tray washer; Fig. 2 is an exterior elevation, opposite in aspect to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end view taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken as indicated by line 1 -4; on Fig. 1.

In the drawings I show my device comprising a suitable casing 10 of the proper height, thickness and length to accommodate a tray, or the like. This casing has a sloping bottom 11, and the back 13 has an outlet opening 12 to allow the discharge of water. The back end of the casing is closed, as shown at 13,- while the opposite front end of the casing is open, except for two flexible flaps 14 secured to the opposite sides 20 of the casing and projecting inwardly to substantially meet each other. These flaps are for the purpose of preventing the splashing out of water and the escape of steam.

At the forward open end of the casing I provide steam and water piping 15 extending particularly along opposite sides of the front open end of the casing, and connected together at top and bottom at 16 and 17. To these pipes 15 the interior spray pipes 18 and 19 connect. The pipes 19 are situated against the side walls 20 of the casing in their middle portions; while the pipes 1S are curved and are situated at the top and bottom of the side walls. All of these pipes 18 and 19 are provided with spray holes 21 arranged in staggered lines, the spray holes pointing inwardly so as to spray water or steam against the opposite sides of the tray placed upright between the two pipes. On the outside of the casing I provide a control valve 30 of any suitable nature which will give a three-way action. This valve is operated by a handle 31, and in the present form of device, when the handle is in the position shown, the connection of water and steam to the pipes 15a (which pipes conneet with pipes 15) is entirely closed oif. To admit water through the pipe 32 I make a turn of the valve handle about one-third of a revolution toward the rear of the washer, and for steam to be admitted through the pipe 33 I make a further turn of about one-third of a revolution. I may use spring or manual means to return the handle to its original position where the water and steam are both turned off. Steam and hot water are supplied to these pipes from any suitable source under pressure. Within the casing 10 I place a longitudinally movable frame 35 which extends back along one side wall of the casing and then extends across the back wall of the casing, a handle 36 being mounted upon the front end of this frame. This frame slides upon suitable supports 37; and a spring 38 holds the frame back in the position illustrated. Outward movement of this frame will move out any tray in the casing.

When the device is in use'a tray is first placed within the casing, standing upright on its edge; and then the hot water is first turned on for the purpose of forcibly spraying the tray with hot water to thoroughly wash it. (The hot water and steam are supplied under pressure). After a sufficient water spraying, the valve handle is turned around to supply steam; and the tray is thus sprayed with steam. The steam is supplied at such a pressure and temperature as to heat the tray so that, when the steam is turned off, and the tray is withdrawn by operation of handle 36, the tray will immediately dry without any further manual operation. It will thus be seen that the operation of washing trays is, by the use of my device, reduced to a minimum of manual labor and time. In practice, I iind that trays may be Washed very quickly with my device, in fact, almost as fast as one man can place t'ays in the casing, turn on the hot Water and thesteam and then Withdraw the trays.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim:

l. A Washer of the character described, comprising an open ended upright casing, spray pipes situated upon the opposite side walls of the casing, means for supplying either hot Water or steam to said spray pipes, a longitudinally movable spring retracted frame vin the casing adapted to be moved outwardly to withdraw a tray or the like from the casing, and flexible closure flaps across the upper part of the open end of the casing.

2. A Washer of the character described, comprising an open ended upright casing, spray pipes situated on the opposite side Walls of the casing, and a longitudinally movable spring retracted frame Within the casing embodying a rod extending along one side of the casing from the open end to its rear end, extending across the rear end of the casing and then extending forwardly along the other side Wall, so as to engage the back edge of a tray or the like standing on edge in the casing.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th day of November, 1916.

RALPH A. NESMITH.

Witness ELWooD H. BARKELEW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

